Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-13
CONGRESSMAN DEFENDED.
Most National Legislators Poor and Strictly
Honorable Men.
Cor. New York Herald

Most National Legislators Poor and Strictly
Honorable Men.
Cor. New York Herald
Gen. Logan having spent nearly his
whole life in the service of his country,
has died poor. He has left but little
property, and that not productive.
1t is an honorable record, and Mrs.
Logan, who has been a sharer of his Ia
bors and anxieties for so many years,
need not hesitate to accept any pensions
which congress may vote her for her hus-
bands services in the war. Democrats
and republicans of both houses are NOV
ing in the matter with equal zeal, and
there is no doubt that bill will pass as
soon as congress reassembles, giving a
pension to Mrs. Logan for life.
Public life in this country is so absorb
ing that American public men are much
oftener poor than wealthy. Not many
have the gift of money making, and the
calls upon their means are great. Stan
ton, the great war secretary, who might
easily have accumulated millions in his
place, spent part of his moderate private
accommodations during the high-priced war
times, and left his family with very small
means,
Mr.. Lincoln once, in the last year of
his presidency, told personal friend
with great satisfaction that he had Away
been careful with his money, and believed
he should be worth as much as $4,000 at
the close of his term. He thought that
a very handsome sum of money.
Chief Justice Taney's family was left
poor.
There is employed in the treasury de-
partment a lady who from the window
near her desk looks out on the white
house grounds in which she played as a
child-the favorite grandchild of pres
ident. She was born in the white house,
and is now government clerk.
There are a good many wealthy men in
congress, but much the greater number
of members of both houses are poor, and
many of the ablest men who have served
In congress for years live quietly in OBJ
scure quarters or in hotels, and bear the
inconvenience of life with honorable
cOntentment and just pride.
There is too general impression that
congress is Venal body and that a con-
siderable part of it's members are in some
way pecuniary gaineIs by their service
there. The contrary is true. There is
not more honest, incorruptibIe, consci-
entioUs body of men in any Legislature
in the world than the congress Of the
United States. The exceptions to the
rule are few, and have never been many,
even in the most corrupting times of the
war and the imitation period after the
war.
There are very few men in every con-
gress who aid or oppose legislation to
serve corporations, or in other ways use
their influence and votes for other than
ljo nd viz To oil
gain to themselves. But oftenest even
those corporation senators and members,
who quickly become a sort of black
sheep among their associates, seek as
their private reward only the support of
corporation influence to secure their re-
election. To this extent the influence of
powerful corporations in different parts
of the country east as well as west, does
undoubtedly make itself felt in congress,
and especially in the senate, where it is
now very difficult to get action on meas
ures, no matter how just and necessary,
which some great corporation opposes.
Tie speaker of the house, Carlisle
the third officer in dignity and succession
in the goverment-lives With his wife in
rooms in an upper sGory of Riggs house.
Mr.. Morrison, the leader of the house,
had lived during the whole long and hon
orable service at Wizards hotel in mar
row quarters and when this congress ad-
journs, will return to private live as a
poor a man as when hs entered it. Mr..
Randall lives in small house in not a
fashionable and obscurepart of the town.
Mr.. Hiscock and Mr.. Reed, the republican
leaders IN the house, both live in hotels,
and hotel living is very reasonable in
price In Washington.
Speaker Kerr never had a house here
and died poor. No speaker of the house,
except Blaine, since the war had resi-
dence here. All but he have been men of
small means and not money-makers.